The sad demise

I am not a pet person. I have never really liked the idea of having pets at home, but there is always something which compels you to think otherwise.

A very closed friend of mine lives in Hyderabad and he is a pet lover. After finding a nice apartment and a flatmate in Hyderabad, he still felt there is something missing in his life. His landlord had a huge dog, his name was Sunny and he used to stay in the common area from where everyone could see him while entering and leaving the house. He used to strike random conversation with the dog while opening the lock of the door, and with time it became a habit for him. Apart from this dog a cat used to come to his balcony and stay there during the nights.

His love for pets couldn’t be held inside anymore. He made sure that the cat had enough to eat and a cozy place to sleep through the night. It became a routine for him and his flatmate also liked the tiny one hoping and meowing in and around the house.

It was a lousy Saturday afternoon and an advertisement on quikr.com made it exciting. He noticed that there is an advertised for giving away 2 kittens for cat lovers. No wonder his love for cat was burgeoning at a very high pace and this advertisement has given a way to take out his love. In no time he made up his mind that he is going to get those kittens home, needless to say his flatmate was well is agreement with this idea.

Without wasting a single day, he called up the concerned person and they both went to get the little ones home. By the evening the kittens were home, and every possible arrangement was done to make them feel at home. Both the kittens were very small and fragile and my dear friend took care of them like little kids. The first day went in settling them down in the house. If you are wondering how the two little devil looked, below is the picture of both of them.

One complete week has passed and the kittens were now comfortable with the house and the people around them. They had starting trusting them, they used to run to them when they entered the house after a long day of work. I remember him saying “it is a bliss not to come home to an empty house, these kittens run towards you and make you feel as if they were waiting for you”. He also told me no matter how tired I am, I always have the strength to play with them. Things were going very fine until a day when he observed that one of the kittens was showing very abnormal breathing pattern. She was making a lot of noise while breathing and her stomach movement was not normal.

Needless to say, he got very worried and without wasting a single minute he took the kitten to the vet. After reaching the hospital, the doctor examined her and in another twenty minutes she was no more. The doctor confirmed that she was suffering from Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and its a congenital disorder which means that she had this by birth. Doctor also confirmed that there was nothing he could have done to save her, ultimately she had to die. The below is a collage made of pictures taken just a day before her demise, isn’t she a beauty ?

I got a call from him in the afternoon, the moment I picked up the phone I heard sobbing and in a very feeble voice he told me the whole story. He was into tears and I felt so bad that nothing could be done to save her. He was continuously blaming himself for not taking care of her properly but I consoled him saying that there is nothing you could have done. She was destined to die because of that fatal disease.

He was so hurt that he decided that he will return the second kitty to the owner because he couldn’t afford any harm to her. I told him not to do so, she was there for quite long time, she is now comfortable there and if she goes to a new place it would be a new struggle for her. He also agreed to this and still the second kitty is with him. She is always in his room and at times in his bed as well.

I was moved to see the whole love between both of them and nothing in my life has ever led me to even consider having a pet but this little kitty has done it. Yes I would love to have a kitty at my place.

You have, Ruby, a very touching way of telling the story, expressing great love and concern for your friend. We have had pets over the years, and alas, there saying good-bye to a beloved pet is one of life’s challenges. Pets fill the home with a special warmth and an unconditional belonging. When they die, they do leave us with a painful sense of emptiness. But, at the same time, pets are a huge responsibility one has to be fully committed to. HUGS <3